Stop and direction indicator



Jan. 5,1926. I 1,568,361

E. L. BLANCHFIELD STOP AND DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed Sept. 20, 1924 fuznafm LOU/5E [SLAM/{HELD .slow down or stop, and an ob ect of Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

ELIZABETH LOUISE BLANCHFIELD. OF SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

STOP AND DIRECTION INDICATOR.

Application filed September 20. 1924. Serial No. 788,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ,ELIZABEIH Lomsr. BLANCI-IFIELD. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Pedro, in the county of San Pedro and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop and Direction Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stop and direction indicators for use by automobile drivers in obedience to rules. regulations and traflic ordinances of municipalities requiring that handsignals be given from the left side of a vehicle, that is, the driver. adjusting his hand at an upward angle to indicate (1) a right turn adjusting the hand to a horizontal position indicating (2) a left turn and adjusting the hand at a downward and outward angle to indicate (3) y invention is to provide an illuminated device of this character that may be strapped to the arm of the driver, where it will be clearly visible at night time when the hand is placed at any one of the aforementioned positions. 7 I

In carrying my invention into practice, it is among my essential features of novelty and invention that the device be simple, compact, light of weight, strong and durable, and of a design and construction that will cause its indicating surface to be visible to drivers approaching respectively from the front and rear.

Another object of the invention is to provide an indicator having illuminating means arranged in a circuit that can be quickly and conveniently controlled from the steering wheel or from a point thereon adjacent to the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to revide a device of this character characterized by features which simplify the operation of assembling the parts in the manufacture of the device.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the features of con-' struction, and the combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a conventional view showing the device in a position to indicate ale Figure 2 is a longitudnal section through the evice on the hne 2- -2 of 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the battery and its supporting means, parts being shown .in full lines.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional "iew of the right hand end of the receptacle shown in Figure 2 with the plug 18 about to be entered into the shell 17.

In carrying the invention into practice, use is made of an arrow shaped receptacle 5 open at its respective sides and provided with transparent panels or indicating surfaces 6-6. These panels are also arrow shaped and they may be formed of celluloid, colored glass or the like. They extend over the open sides of the receptacle and are. secured thereto by angle frames 7, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Arranged within the receptacle are partitions -8-8 formed of metal. These partitions are spaced apart to define what I term a conduit 9 and they are also spaced apart from the respective panels 66 so as to define therewithdight compartments 10, behind the respective panels 6.

The partitions are lined with insulating material 11 so as to minimize the dangers of fire in the event of short circuits. Each partition constitutes a ground for metal sockets 12. Each socket is formed with a contact element 13 at its closed end. and. said element makes connection with a circuitwire 14 through a bracket 15 suitably secured to the respective partitions. as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This feed wire extends through the aforesaid conduit 9 and same is connected at 16 with the contact element of a metallic internally threaded shell 17. This shell'has itsiopen end exposed at one end of the receptacle 5 so as to removably accommodate the plug end 18 of the circuit wires 19. In this manner; it becomes manifest that when the wires 19 are arranged in a circuit and connected in the shell 17 proper circuit connections are made with the respective lamp sockets 12 so as to furnish one terminal of the circuit. vThe other terminal of the circuit is established through the ground produced in bringing the shell 17 into immediate engagement'with the metal surfaces of the partitions 8,'as shown in The wires 19 are adapted to be arranged in a. circuit including-a battery 20 of usual well switch 21., The battery is Ill Figure 2.

casing 22 and the latter is Provided with, a strap 23 adapted to be adjusted around and secured to the post 24 of a steering wheel 25. The battery circuit may be respectively made and broken by manipulating the switch 21 in the customary malnnen- When the circuit is closed the lamps 26 carried by the sockets 12 are lighted. As illustrated. three lamps are provided for each of the light compartments 10. The contact brackets of one set of sockets 12 are staggered with respect to the contact brackets of the other of said sets. This disposes the upper portions of the contact brackets so that a straight length of wire may be extended through the conduit 9 and soldered to all. of said contact brackets. The length of wire which I employ to establish permanent connection between the respective lamusockets is relatively inseparable from the receptacle 5. In other words, it does not constitute any integral part of the circuit wires. It merely coacts with the ground connections afforded through provision of the-metallic walls 8-8 so that the current flows to the respective lamps when the switch 21 is closed.

The receptacle 5 is provided with an arm strap 27 adapted to be drawn about the arm adjacent to thewrist as shown in Figure 1.

' The strap is provided witha broad portion 28 which acts to stabilize the receptacle 5 when in a signalling position. It serves to hold the receptacle directly superimposed with respect to the arm so that the head of the arrow comes directly above the hand when the arm of the driver is extended to a signalling position, as indicated in Figure 1. The construction of the device is such that the indicating panels 6 will be illuminated from the respective sides of the receptacle 5 in order that they will be simultaneously illuminated and made visible respectively from the front and rear. The circuit may be controlled with utmost convenience so that the lamps 26 may be thrown into or out of operation, as the occasion requires.

I claim: a

As a new article of manufacture, a direction and stop signal comprising a receptacle having transparent portions. metallic partitions in said receptacle. socketscarried by said partitions, a shell directly engaged with said partitions, and a feed wire operatively connected with the shell and with all of said sockets, the shell adapted to receive the plug connection of a circuit and the said sockets adapted to receive incandescent lamps.

ELIZABETH LOUISE BLANCHFIELD. 

